U.S. patent number 5,119,969 [Application Number 07/791,710] was granted by the patent office on 1992-06-09 for pill strip dispenser.
Invention is credited to Terry M. Haber.
United States Patent |
5,119,969 |
Haber |
June 9, 1992 |
Pill strip dispenser
Abstract
A pill strip dispenser (4) is used with a pill strip (6) having
a series of pill-containing packets (8) so the pills (10) can be
dispensed individually. The dispenser includes a housing (14)
defining a supply region (18) within which the pill strip is
housed. The pill strip extends from the supply region along a
dispensing path within the housing to a discharge position (12)
next to but external of the housing. The packets are dispensed one
at a time by a manually actuated drive assembly (46) including a
user operated plunger (80). The pill strip is captured between a
pair of toothed drive wheels (48), positioned at each lateral edge
(36, 38) of the pill strip, and overlying resilient rollers (50).
The tooth drive wheels not only drive the pill strip, but also
perforate the pill strip packets so that the contents of the
dispensed packet can be easily accessed. A pair of pill guides (70)
are used along the dispensing path to push the pill within the
pocket towards the center of the packet and away from the drive
wheels.
Inventors: |
Haber; Terry M. (El Toro,
CA) |
Family
ID: |
27050517 |
Appl.
No.: |
07/791,710 |
Filed: |
November 14, 1991 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
Issue Date |
|
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491672 |
Mar 9, 1990 |
5065655 |
Nov 19, 1991 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
221/71; 221/25;
414/412 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A61J
7/0076 (20130101); B65D 83/0463 (20130101); A61J
1/03 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
B65D
83/04 (20060101); A61J 7/00 (20060101); B65H
005/28 () |
Field of
Search: |
;221/25,70,71,72,74
;414/412 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Skaggs; H. Grant
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Townsend and Townsend
Parent Case Text
This is a division of application Ser. No. 07/491,672 filed Mar. 9,
1990, now U.S. Pat. No. 5,065,655 issued Nov. 19, 1991.
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A pill strip dispenser for use with a pill strip including a
pill strip package having longitudinal edges and defining a
plurality of longitudinally arranged packets, each packet including
a pocket with medicine therein, the packets separated by laterally
extending separation lines, the pill strip dispenser
comprising:
a housing defining a supply region and a dispensing path along
which the pill strip moves from the supply region to a discharge
position;
a drive assembly, mounted at least partially within the housing,
including a drive element along the dispensing path which engages
the pill strip along a drive line and forces the pill strip from
the supply region, along the dispensing path and to the discharge
position; and
directing means for directing the medicine in each said pocket away
from the drive line so as not to interfere with the drive
element.
2. The assembly of claim 1 further comprising control means for
dispensing the pill strip from the pill strip dispenser one packet
at a time.
3. The assembly of claim 1 wherein the medicine is in pill
form.
4. The assembly of claim 1 wherein the housing includes a support
surface along the dispensing path between the supply region and the
drive element, and wherein the directing means include a pill guide
overlying the support surface and in contact with the pill
strip.
5. The assembly of claim 4 wherein the pill guide is arranged to
direct the medicine towards a central region of each of said
pockets.
6. The assembly of claim 5 wherein the directing means includes
first and second of said pill guides.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Hospitals often receive medicine in bulk containers for sake of
economy. This medicine is often repackaged in various ways
according to particular medicine involved and the requirements of
the patient.
One conventional system packages the medicine in a pill strip. A
machine for making these pill strips is made by Sanyo Corporation
of Japan and is sold in the United States under the trademark ATC
212. The pill strip is essentially a length of plastic folded over
and sealed to create a series of individual pill packets. One
advantage of this system is that the individual pill packets can be
uniquely identified as to contents, patient, mode and time of
administration of the medicine. However, the storage and dispensing
of these pill strips has remained a problem.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is directed to a pill strip dispenser which
permits a pill strip to be neatly housed within the dispenser and
conveniently dispensed, typically one packet at a time, while
perforating or otherwise weakening the packet to permit easy access
to the medicine inside.
The pill strip dispenser is used with a pill strip having a series
of packets, each packet having a pill containing pocket so that the
pills can be dispensed individually to a patient. The dispenser
includes a housing defining a supply region within which a supply,
typically a roll, of the pill strip is housed. The pill strip
extends from the supply region, along a dispensing path within the
housing and to a discharge position next to but external of the
housing. The packets are dispensed, preferably one at a time, by a
drive assembly within the housing.
The drive assembly is preferably a manually actuated drive assembly
including a user operated plunger. The pill strip is captured
between the pair of tooth drive wheels, which arc preferably
positioned along each lateral edge of the pill strip and a pair of
overlying resilient rollers. The toothed drive wheels not only
drive the pill strip in response to the actuation of the plunger,
but also perforate the discharged pill strip package so that the
contents of the packet can be easily accessed.
It is preferred that the pill strip includes a registration opening
at a common location along one edge for each of the packets. A pin
lock may be used to engage the registration opening in one packet
when the packet immediately downstream is at the discharge
position. This engagement causes the pin lock to also engage a gear
in the drive train connecting the plunger to the toothed drive
wheels thus halting movement of the drive wheels.
A pair of pill guides are used along the dispensing path to push
the pills within the pockets away from the drive wheels. When the
drive wheels are situated along the lateral edges of the pill
strip, the pill guides push the pills towards the centers of the
packets.
One the primary advantages of the invention is use of a drive
system which both perforates or otherwise weakens the packet while
driving the packet from the housing to a discharge position
external of the housing.
The pin lock and registration opening not only accurately meter
single packets from the housing but also help to prevent
unauthorized or improper use of the assembly. That is, one must
first disengage the pin lock before the drive wheels can be rotated
by pushing on the plunger. However, the need to do so may not be
immediately evident to one not familiar with the assembly.
Various types of safety features may be employed with the invention
as well. For example, the plunger may be coupled to a combination
lock so that only by entering the proper combination will the
plunger operate.
Other features and advantages of the invention will appear from the
following description in which the preferred embodiment has been
set forth in detail in conjunction with the accompanying
drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a front isometric view of a pill strip dispenser assembly
made according to the invention;
FIG. 2 is a front isometric view of the pill strip dispenser of
FIG. 1 with portions broken away to illustrate various drive
components;
FIG. 3 is a rear isometric view of the pill dispenser of FIG. 2
with the door open showing the pill strip supply region;
FIGS. 4, 5 and 6 are left side, front and top cross-sectional views
of the pill strip dispenser of FIG. 2; and
FIG. 7 shows a packet, having been dispensed from the assembly of
FIG. 1, being operated along the weakened drive line.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
FIG. 1 is an isometric view showing a pill strip dispenser assembly
2 including a pill strip dispenser 4 and a pill strip 6 housed
therein. Pill strip 6 includes a series of packets 8 each
containing medicine, typically in the form of a pill 10. One such
packet 8 is shown at a discharge position 12 external of dispenser
4.
Pill strip dispenser 4 will be discussed in more detail with
reference to FIG. 2. Dispenser 4 includes a rectangular housing 14,
typically made of plastic. Housing 14 includes the hinged door 16
which, as shown in FIG. 3, opens to expose a pill strip supply
region 18. Region 18 is bounded generally by the bottom 20, side
members 22, 24, front 26, and upper support of 28 of housing 14 as
well as by door 16. Housing 14 also includes a pair of support
guides 30, 32 positioned directly above the upper support surface
34 of upper support 28. Lateral edge regions 36, 38 of pill strip 6
pass between surface 34 and support guides 30, 32. The area
overlying the forward portion 40 of upper support 28 is covered by
a clear cover 42 which extends between support guides 30, 32. Clear
cover 42 permits the user to view pill 10 and anything written on
the upper surface of the packet 8 positioned under cover 42.
Turning our attention primarily to FIGS. 2 and 4-6, dispenser 4 is
seen to include a drive assembly 46 mounted within housing 14.
Drive assembly 46 includes a pair of toothed drive wheels 48 which
are positioned beneath rubber idler rollers 50. Idler rollers 50
are mounted to support guides 30, 32. Drive wheels 48 and rollers
50 are positioned so that lateral edge regions 36, 38 pass
therebetween. Drive wheels 48 are mounted to a common drive shaft
52 so that rotating drive shaft 52 causes toothed drive wheels 48
to engage pill strip 6 forcing packet 8 towards discharge position
12. By appropriately configuring the toothed circumference of drive
wheels 48, drive wheels 48 are made to perforate pill strip 6 along
drive lines 54, 56.
Each packet 8 includes a folded over edge 58 along lateral edge
region 38 and a heat sealed region 60 along the other three sides
to define a pocket 62 containing pill 10. Also, each packet 8 is
separated by laterally extending separation lines 64, preweakened
to aid separating packets 8 from one another. Drive line 56
intersects pocket 62 to aid removal of pill 10 as is discussed in
more detail below.
Door 16 includes a pair of pill guides 70 which overlie support
surface 34 of upper support 28. Pill guides 70 direct any pills 10
which may be adjacent edge regions 36, 38 towards the center of
pocket 62 and thus away from support guides 30, 32, drive wheels 48
and idler rollers 50. This helps to keep assembly 2 from jamming
during use.
Common drive shaft 52 is driven by a first drive gear 72 through a
one-way clutch 74, such as one sold by Small Parts Co. of Miami,
Fla. First drive gear 72 is driven by second drive gear 76 which
itself is driven by a rack 78 formed in a plunger 80. Plunger 80 is
biased upwardly by a spring 82. Movement of plunger 80 is limited
by an arm 84, extending laterally therefrom, which engages upper
and lower stops 86, 88.
To prevent unauthorized removal of packets 8, a safety lock 90 is
used. Only when the right combination is used will arm 84 be
permitted to move between stops 86, 88. Safety lock 90 is shown in
a simplified form. A variety of safety interlocks may be used.
Pill strip dispenser assembly 2 also includes a registration
opening 94 formed along lateral edge region 36 of each packet 8 at
a chosen position relative to the forward or leading separation
line 64 of each packet 8. Assembly 2 also includes a pin lock
assembly 96 carried by housing 14. Assembly 96 includes a pin 98
extending upwardly from an L-base 100. L-base 100 is slideably
mounted within housing 14 and is biased upwardly by a spring 102
towards first gear 72. L-base 100 includes teeth 104 at its upper
end position to engage similar teeth in drive gear 72 through the
urging of spring 102.
There are two ways to keep teeth 104 from engaging the teeth of
first gear 72. The first is by manually pressing an arm 106
extending from L-base 100 through a slot 108 formed in housing 14.
The other is through the positioning of lateral edge region 36 of
pill strip 6 between pin 98 and a backing block 110, mounted to
support guide 30, directly above pin 98.
Pin 98 is, however, positioned to be aligned with registration
opening 94 of one packet 8 when the adjacent, downstream packet 8
is properly positioned at discharge position 12. At this position
pin 98 is urged upwardly through the bias of spring 102 so that pin
98 passes through opening 94 and into a shallow opening 112 in
block 110. As the user sequentially presses and releases plunger
80, second and first drive gears 76, 72 rotate in an oscillating
fashion, first one way and then the other. However, due to the
existence of one way clutch 74, common drive shaft 52 rotates only
in a single direction, that is clockwise as shown in FIG. 4. Once
pin 98 engages opening 94, L-block 96 moves upwardly so that teeth
104 engage the teeth of gear 72 thus locking gears 72, 76 and
plunger 80 in position. Only by manually pressing downwardly on arm
106 can the next packet be discharged from dispenser 4. After
opening 94 is no longer aligned with pin 98, the user may release
arm 106 and still advance pill strip 6 by pressing and releasing
plunger 80.
Once a packet 8 is at discharge position 12, as shown in FIG. 1,
the packet may be torn away from the rest of the pill strip 6. This
is typically accomplished using the perforated or otherwise
weakened separation line 64 which is aligned with a relatively
sharp edge 114 at the end of the dispensing pad within dispenser 4.
Pill 10 can be easily removed from packet 8 in a manner shown in
FIG. 7 by tearing along weakened, in the preferred embodiment
perforated, drive line 56. Thus, toothed drive wheels 48 will drive
pill strip 6 through housing 4 but also perforate each packet 8 to
aid removal of the medicine within pocket 62 of packet 8.
In use, dispenser 4 is first filled with a pill strip roll 6 by
opening door 16 and placing the pill strip roll within region 18.
The outer edge 118 of pill strip roll 6 is then passed over surface
34 and under support guides 30, 32 until edge 118 of the first
packet 8 is generally aligned with edge 114. To do so, plunger 80
is pressed and released a number of times after drive wheels 48
have begun engaging pill strip 6. Door 16 is lowered so pill guides
70 capture pill strip 6 between guides 70 and surface 34. Once
registration opening 94 is aligned with pin 98, the movement of
pill strip 6 stops with the outer edge 118 of the outermost packet
8 generally aligned with edge 114 of housing 14. To provide
security for assembly 2, safety lock 90 is manipulated so that
actuation of plunger 80 is no longer possible. When it is desired
to dispense a packet 8, security lock 80 is again manipulated to
permit the actuation of plunger 80. Arm 106 is depressed briefly
and plunger 80 is pressed and released until packet 8 reaches
discharge position 12, at which time the registration opening 94
for the adjacent packet becomes aligned with pin 96 thus stopping
movement of drive wheels 48. Packet 8 at position 12 is then torn
or otherwise removed from the remainder of pill strip 6 and the
contents of packet 8 is accessed by tearing along drive line
56.
In this application, the medicine in packet 8 is referred to as a
pill 10. However, medicine may not be a single pill but could be
one or more pills, tablet caplets, capsules or, in appropriate
cases, granules or powder.
Various modifications and variations can be made to the disclosed
embodiment without departing from the subject of the invention as
defined in the following claims. For example, registration opening
94 could be a semicircular notch along one lateral edge instead of
a circular hole. The invention is preferably a manually actuated
invention for simplicity and lower cost. However, the invention
could be practiced using an electrically powered drive as well.
Automatic drives would be particularly useful when the operation of
a dispenser assembly is to be digitally controlled. Various types
of security devices could also be used, such as time locks which
would allow operation of the drive only during predetermined times
and only to dispense a predetermined number of packets 8.
* * * * *